What’s eating Gilbert Grape?
Propp’s Character Theory
Introduction to Propp’s Character
Theory
• Vladimir Propp (1969) developed a character theory for studying
media texts and productions, which indicates that there were 7
broad character types
• The villain (struggles against the hero)
• The donor (prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical
object)
• The helper (helps the hero in the quest)
• The princess (person the hero marries, often sought for during the
narrative)
• Her father
• The dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the
hero off)
• The hero or victim/seeker hero, reacts to the donor, weds the
princess
Gilbert Grape
Played By Johnny Depp
Gilbert Grape is portrayed as the hero as he is
set on a journey of transformation, one example
is the fact he treats his mother like a joke brining
children to the window to laugh at her but when
she dies he does not want her to be laughed at
anymore, he appears to have done a lot
Of growing up during the film.
Momma
Played by Darlene Cates
Momma is portrayed as the dispatcher as she is relying on
Gilbert and her other children to provide for her. As she is too big
to leave the house therefore she relies on her children to take
care for her and provide an income.
Momma expects Gilbert to take extra careful care of Arnie as
she cannot herself she can only give him a comforting hug when
he needs it.
However she has her own heroic scene
When she finds the courage to leave her
House to go and get Arnie from the police
Station.
Becky
Played by Juliette Lewis
Becky is portrayed as the donor as on her arrival
she gives Gilbert a new look on life and hope.
Becky also helps Arnie over come his fear of
water and gets him to come and swim in the
water with her. Becky also gives the people she
surrounds a new out look on life with her free
spirit personality. She also gives Gilbert and
Arnie a opportunity to travel with her.
Arnie Grape
Played by Leonardo DiCaprio
Arnie is Gilbert’s younger brother who is turning 18 a day which
nobody thought he would live to. Arnie is not like the other
children he has a mental disability so Gilbert has to take extra
care of him.
Arnie can be seen as a helper as he helps Momma leave the
house even though he is not aware of being a helper he gives
Momma a reason to leave the house and go out in public
something that people thought they would never seen.
Arnie also helps bring Gilbert and Becky together, this is good as
Gilbert is able to see how well Becky gets along with Arnie and
Becky helps both of them come over their fear of water.
The false Hero could Bobby McBurney who
works as an undertaker as he brings with him a
cold and looming presence, he is wishing death
and waiting for death to keep him in business.
Carver’s wife is portrayed as a villain as she is
the main suspect for her husband’s death and is
also having an affair with Gilbert, but the
audience do not know how long this has been
going on for.